The Good Life

Newsweek, March, 2006 by Tara Pepper

Fashion: Not Just For Tuxes Anymore

Stars have always relied on borrowed frocks to give them the edge on the red carpet. Now a new breed of high-end rental showrooms is making it easier for the rest of us to dress up in style without making a long-term commitment to a gown or shelling out thousands for a bag that's out of fashion by its second outing. "Let's face it: most women don't want to wear the same thing to an event more than once," says Joanna Doniger of the London-based evening-wear-rental company One Night Stand. And today's rentals can be straight off the catwalks or hard-to-find vintage pieces. Some showrooms offer a consultancy service to ensure your outfit will work perfectly, whether it's for a wedding, awards ceremony or fund-raiser.

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